William I, the Conqueror (1027-1087), was the first Norman king of England.
He was born at Falaise (see picture), France.
He was the son of Robert I, Duke of Normandy, and inherited Normandy at age of eight. During his youth, there were many disorders.
At the age of 20, he put down a great rebellion at the battle of Val-ès-dunes, which he won with the help of his lord, King Henry of France. From that time on, William ruled Normandy with an iron hand.
In 1051, William visited England. King Edward the Confessor granted him the succession to the English throne as his nearest adult heir. In 1064, Harold, Edward's brother-in-law, was shipwrecked on the Norman coast and taken prisoner.
He promised to support William's claim to the throne in return for his freedom.
But when Edward died in 1066, Harold obtained the succession on the basis of a deathbed grant by Edward and election by the nobles and prelates of England. William immediately invaded England.
His expedition had the Pope blessings, because William was expected to depose the Anglo-Saxon archbishop of Canterbury and introduce ecclesiastical reforms.